What causes a rifle to regularly shoot two groups in one string?

[Deadeye Fraser]

I've got a Ruger #1B .270 Winchester that seems to have lost its mind. I've had it for six or seven years and it has consistently been my 3/4 MOA or better beanfield rifle. For the last month or two I can't get a good group out of it.

So far I've tried barrel cleaning, different scopes, different loads, checked forearm tension, different shooting positions, shooting on multiple days, etc. I feel like I have considered a lot of variables yet when I shoot it will put four shots into say 1.75" at 100 yards with pairs touching or very close to it.

There has to be a specific problem here but I don't know what it is. For a while I really thought it was just me but shooting has been good with my Ruger Ultralight .30-06, my .30-30, my 375 H&H and my M1A, a pretty broad range of rifles, often shot at the same range session as the .270.

Anyone know what my problem might be other than a rifle that is possessed by evil spirits?

 

[jsthntn247]

I once had a ruger, then sold it. The end

 

[WAC M TRAC M]

I had the same problem with my Tikka 243. The barrel seemed clean till I ran a copper solvant through and it came out blue. That and the chamber where the bullet sits was dirty. Sprayed CLP in there a few times and cleaned it all up.

I'm back to < 1/2 moa.

 

[Nimrodmar10]

That's normally the symptom of a bedding problem. Being a Ruger No. 1 makes the problem even harder to fix if that is the problem. The barrel hanger that holds the forearm doesn't make it easy to float the barrel. Maybe some of the Ruger guys here can tell you how to diagnose the problem. Would there be any way you could remove the forearm and shoot a group without it?

 

[elkaholic]

Your problem is VERY likely bedding! I would remove the stock and glass bed the tang and then tighten until it squeeks! You might even tighten it first and try it before you bed it. A lot of shooting over the years has likely battered "and loosened" the stock/tang fit and this is the only recoil stop on the Ruger. Sometimes a pressure screw thru the rod under the forearm will help as well (you will have to play with the right pressure) good luck......Rich
p.s. I have even pillar bedded the tang

 

[FEENIX]

I once had a ruger, then sold it. The end

Sometimes it's the nut behind the trigger.

I purchased a used M77 MKII in .338WM and shoots factory loads ...

... and at 338 yards (225gr NAB 73.5gr H4831SC) ...

... and the adventures continues !!! gun)

 

[sp6x6]

I saw a guy shooting an older Ruger at the range last week.And it sounds like what Elkaholic said.This guy was shooting some great groups w/300 win. I commented and he was on a new barrel,think it was benchmark, Installed by Mark King,who has produced record bench rifles.The stock had a adjustment rod at about a 45 degree angle, used allen wrench to adjust.The rifle was shooting and shooter said the tuner makes a differnce.